A story depicting a choice for our shared humanity. One afternoon reportedly in a Palestinian village named Qursa, trouble broke out between Palestinian farmers who were returning to their fields and Israeli solders occupying the village. The Israeli solders reportedly had used stun guns and fire arms during this incident. As the situation unfolded one of the female Israeli soldiers/police woman found herself in the hands of the Palestinian farmers. What happened next was the unexpected. According to an Israeli photographer, the Mayer of Qusra and Zakaria Sadah, a Palestinian activist working with Rabbis for Human Rights, sought to protect the Israeli soldier by shielding her along with others from harm. As they shouted for the Israeli’s “don’t shoot” they walked the Israeli soldier back to her fellow soldiers, unharmed. The Israeli photographer Shaul Golan captured this incident on camera. Later, Sadah had reported he had been criticized greatly by both Israeli’s and Palestinians. The Israelis reportedly calling him their enemy regardless, and the Palestinians calling him a traitor. Reportedly Sadah dismissed both accusations and said, “I will continue my way. I don’t care what people say or do. For me a person is a person. A life of a person is important.” This is courage! This is what is meant to see beyond the trappings we place upon ourselves and each other. This is what it looks like to see beyond the ideas, symbols and hunger for revenge which divide us. Even if this were to be a case of self preservation as some would suggest this move was prompted from an emissary for human rights.
An equally heartening story, is about Israeli Doctors who are treating injured Syrians and Palestinians regardless of who they are what they have done. Again, the demonstration of the suspension of ideas of division and separation. The doctors do what they do to save lives, not just lives baring the proper symbols and flags, all lives. I recall someone once saying to me that their answer to stopping violence was to require everyone to get naked. There is something to be said for that! If everyone were naked it would hard to determine who to hate!
The point here is to let no one; no government, no politician, no news channel, no leader, no friend, no brother, no mother, no father, no teacher and no lover place their fear and hate in your mind or your heart. Hold your ground in the name of humanity, peace and justice. These are just two stories where people have risen above the illusions which separates us from each other.
There are countless more stories like these. If you do not see the world through the eyes of separation along the myriad of possible ways we can divide ourselves, if you are feeling alone in your desire not to hate, or to not engage in the language of fear – YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
We are everywhere in the world working for peace and the hope for a growing awareness of our relationship to each other within our collective humanity. LK
